Take Advantage of a Career Changing Opportunity

As a young credit union executive, there was much that I had to learn and thankfully there was a program to help me - CUNA Management School (CMS). The other day I saw on Facebook, that CUNA was offering a scholarship for a first year student to attend this amazing program. Are you a credit union employee? Do you want to grow within your credit union career? If yes, you should apply for this program and scholarship!

I graduated from CMS a few years ago and I can point to that experience as being a career charging opportunity. I first heard about the program from a co-worker who became a senior manager around the same time I did. I got more information about CMS and immediately knew I had to attend. The CMS program is a well-rounded three-year credit union management school that propelled my career.

For two weeks each summer, the program runs at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Attendees live in dorms, eat cafeteria food, and bond with their fellow students. Dorm life is much better than you would expect (especially since they now have semi-private bathrooms!). The learning doesn't happen just in a classroom either. Each year, students participate in a team-building activity that they will never be forget.

The learning doesn't end after the two-weeks each summer, because students use what they learn in Madison and complete an interim project. The first project involves looking back at their credit union's history from the beginning and specifically the previous five years. The second project is all about planning for the future with a five year strategic plan. After completing each project, you will know more about your credit union than probably anyone else there.

Over the years, the program has grown to include the annual projects, then testing, which brought accreditation (you can earn college credit), and most recently a designation. Graduates of CUNA Management School now earn the CCUE (Certified Credit Union Executive) designation. This honor shows that you have graduated from this comprehensive program, understand credit unions and leadership.

Are you ready to sign up? The deadline for applying for the scholarship is Friday, May 27th, but don't let that quick timeline stop you from changing your career forever. It is a short application and if you can't get it in by Friday, CUNA has said they will accept them into early next week. Please contact them to let them know you will be applying.

For more information about the program: CUNA Management School - Madison, FAQ, Why should you attend?

If you have questions about the program, please let me know. I'd be happy to discuss it with you, refer you to other graduates, or the CUNA program director.

CU Chat Up - Podcast Live from the CO-OP THiNK conference

The CO-OP THiNK conference may be done and over in California, but the real work is just beginning. The speakers provided much insight into the current environment, how credit unions fit into the world and how they have to adapt to change.

The learning has just started! More important is continuing the conversations and putting the ideas into action. I hope you will participate in the on-going discussion!

On Tuesday night, Tina Hall, Ronaldo Hardy, and Jill Nowacki sat down with me to discuss what their main takeaways were from the first two days of the conference. Please take the half-hour to listen to their thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.

Listen here and comment below:

If you want more information about some of the sessions, please check out the live blogs for each day.

CO-OP THiNK Live Blog - Day 4 - Wednesday

We have arrived at the last day of CO-OP THiNK 11 with two more amazing speakers in Brett King talking about Engagement Banking and Jeff Manning creator of the Got Milk campaign.

Follow along all the action right here!

CO-OP THiNK Live Blog - Day 3 - Tuesday

Day 3 of the CO-OP THiNK conference includes speakers: Jeanne Bliss (Land's End, Microsoft, Mazda) and Porter Gale (Virgin America). In the afternoon, people have the choice of three events for Children's Miracle Network.

CO-OP THiNK Live Blog - Day 2 - Monday

Day 2 of the CO-OP THiNK conference is filled with top-notch speakers including:

• Sir Ken Robinson, PhD, Creativity and Innovation expert
• Tony Hawk, Pro Skateboard Legend
• Nancy Lublin, DoSomething.org
• Susan Packard, HGTV

Follow along below:

CO-OP THiNK Live Blog - Day 1 - Sunday

Follow along with Day 1 of the CO-OP THiNK conference from Disneyland!

On-site Coverage of Finovate Spring 2011 - Day 2

This week, CU Chat Up will be covering Finovate Spring 2011 in San Francisco. Over 60 companies will be presenting their latest innovations for financial services.

Follow the live blog for updates on the presentations.

Also, check back for more indepth information on some of the new innovations

On-site Coverage of Finovate Spring 2011

This week, CU Chat Up will be covering Finovate Spring 2011 in San Francisco. Over 60 companies will be presenting their latest innovations for financial services.

Follow the live blog for updates on the presentations.

Also, check back for more indepth information on some of the new innovations

CU Chat Up - Member Referrals and WOM

On today's CU Chat Up, James Robert Lay from PTP Media and CU*SWAG, discussed how to generate member referrals and use Word of Mouth (WOM) marketing strategies. 

I want to thank James Robert for coming on the show today, because he won the opportunity to be on the show at the NCUF DE annual auction last year. He was originally supposed to be on last May, but the birth of his son got in the way. It may have taken a year to re-schedule, but it was worth the wait! 

Here is his original profile: James Robert Lay - Chatter of the Week. 

You can listen to the show here: CU Chat Up - Member Referrals and WOM or using the player on the right side panel. It can also be downloaded via iTunes at either location.

Here is the video that James Robert and his team put together for Youth Week:

For more information on CU Tell a Friend and CU Follow Up.

This Friday, May 6th, CU*SWAG will be hosting a special sale to support CUAid.